The Dec/Jan 2015 issue (Last Spike) of Canada’s History magazine, set a new all time sales record! Since the magazine is 95 years old, and has published roughly 570 issues, that’s quite an accomplishment.

Here’s what the Editor had to say about the creative process:

“We knew that our readers liked trains — after all, trains are what helped build this country. However, we decided to dig deeper to find the human interest stories that would bring train history to life. Our cover related to our main feature, “Ties That Bind,” which featured a series of train-related stories — from the driving of the Last Spike in 1885, to the “On to Ottawa” protest train, to the story of Bill Miner, the “Gentleman train robber” who pioneered the phrase “hands up” during his train robberies,” Mark Reid, Editor.

Sales for this issue are up 35% compared to the same issue last year

Sales are up 98% compared to last year’s average sale

Sales are up 88% compared to the other 5 issues in 2014

Canada’s History had an impressive performance in 2014, with overall sales up 21%. (Context: Overall North American Newsstand sales down 16.7%)

The Dec/Jan 2015 issue of Canadian Cycling has established a new, all-time sales record. Not only is it the best-selling issue in this time slot, it is also the best selling issue ever for Canadian Cycling.

The first issue of Canadian Cycling was the Apr/May 2010…29 issues back in time.

This cover took a much simpler, “poster like” approach, with just 4 main hooks, plus the sky bar.

The type on the main sell was bumped up larger than normal.

The issue sold 103% better than the issue before it.

It sold 58% better than all the other issues in 2014.

A special thank you to Ron Sellwood and Peter Van De Geyn, for their help to achieve this new milestone.

Back on February 13th, 2015, I blogged about Sports Illustrated’s famous swimsuit issue:

“The Sports Illustrated2015 Swimsuit Issueis creating quite a buzz, as it always has, as SI continues to create “shock and awe”. The latest cover lowers the bikini line to shocking new lows in a game to get the twits to tweet their outrage. Apparently it is working. Moral outrage has surrounded the issue every year, since first launching in 1964.

The swimsuit model model, Hannah Davis, was interviewed on the Today show said, “I think you’re making it look a lot naughtier than it really is to be honest,” Davis told Matt Lauer on TODAY Monday after a ribbon graphic covered part of the cover. “To be honest, I think SI always tries to do something a little different every year, and I think this year, it’s the year of the torso.

The year of the torso? Uh, huh. Looks like SI is serious about the old adage that sex sells. Which one do you like best? Vote for 2015, 2014, and 2013 below.”

Voters chose the 2015 cover as the best. So what are the results in Canada?

Back on July 14th, 2014 I blogged enthusiastically about the July 2014 issue of National Geographic.

“I love the way they have layered the cover to create a very textured effect. While the yellow frame remains an essential part of their brand equity, it shows courage and confidence by their team to play with that device.”

It’s time to do a Check Up to see how it performed. The July 2014 issue was the 2nd best-selling issue of 12 regular issues published, selling 22,101 copies at a 41.4% efficiency in Canada.

It outsold the June 2014 issue by 5,547 copies or a 34% lift.

It outsold the August 2014 issue by 2,203 copies or a 11% lift.

It outsold the average sale for the other 11 issues by 3,611 copies or a 16% lift.

The best seller of the year was the Feb 2014 issue, which sold 22,982 copies, shown at bottom

Back on August 27th, 2014, I blogged enthusiastically about Chatelaine‘s September 2014 issue as Cover of the Week. The September 2014 issue of Chatelaine featured a “tumble” cover, according to Sarmistha Roy at Chatelaine. On one side, a fabulous food cover, flip it over and on the other side is a gorgeous beauty cover.

It’s now time to Check Up on how the issue performed.

This issue was the 2nd best seller out of 12 issues published in 2014, selling 43,494 copies.

It outsold the August 2014 issue by 15,195 copies or a 54 lift%.

It outsold the October 2014 issue by 1,584 copies or a 4% lift.

It outsold the average sale of the other 11 issues by 21,427 or a 97% lift.

And it outsold last year’s issue in this time slot (September 2013) by 15,267 copies or a 54 lift.

The best-selling issue of 2014 was the December 2014 issue, which sold 62,245 copies…a fantastic result. (Cover shown at bottom)

Back on August 20th, 2014, I blogged enthusiastically about People Weekly‘s fabulous cover tribute to Robin Williams (on sale in Canada August 18th, 2014) as Cover of the Week.

The cover was handled with great dignity and respect given the comic’s tragic demise.

In Canada, this cover sold 114,674 copies at a 58% sell-through efficiency. It was by far the best-selling issue of the year in Canada for People Weekly.

The issue prior to it sold 84,531 copies. The issue following it sold 89,811 copies. The overall average sale in 2014 for every other issue of People was 71,993 copies.

So it sold 30,143 more copies than the issue prior to it, a 36% lift. It sold 24,863 more copies than the issue after it, a 28% lift. It sold 42,681 more copies than the overall average issue in 2014, a 59% lift.

The second highest seller in 2014 was the September 8th, 2014, issue featuring The Jolle-Pitt Family Wedding Album, which sold 98,866 copies, on sale September 8th, 2014. So Robin Williams out sold this great cover by 15,808 copies, a 16% lift.

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About Me

Scott Bullock is a veteran circulation expert with over 38 years experience in both Canada and the United States.
He has worked on trade titles such as Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, School Library Journal and Small Press in the USA.
In consumer magazines, Scott was the Circulation Director for D Magazine (the city magazine of Dallas, Texas), and in Canada he was the Circulation Director for Toronto Life, Fashion, and Canadian Art.
From 2000 to 2004, Scott was a partner at Coast to Coast Newsstand Services.
Scott has also held the post of VP Sales & Marketing, for CDS Global, Canada.
Currently, CoversSell.Com is Scott’s circulation consultancy. Active clients include: Fly Fusion, Canadian Geographic, Canadian House & Home, Canada’s History, Canadian Real Estate Wealth, Canadian Woodworking, Canadian Cycling, Canadian Running, Canadian Scrapbooker, Legion, Harrowsmith, SkyNews, and SuperTrax.